Extreme Weather Restoration Update - SCE Updates

Important SCE Service Updates for Impacted Customers

UPDATE
Jan. 12, 2025
Update: Severe Weather and Power Restoration

Dear Customer,

We recognize that persistent wildfire and wind conditions extending through the weekend continue the hardships. We deeply appreciate first responders who are working tirelessly to combat the fires. Our thoughts remain with those impacted during this incredibly challenging time.

OUTAGE STATUS

Currently, about 63,000 customers are without power, with the increase from yesterday’s 45,000 primarily due to Public Safety Power Shutoffs implemented in response to weather conditions. Our crews have restored power to over 530,000 customers since the start of this wind event.

RESTORATION PROGRESS

Thousands of SCE, contractors and mutual assistance personnel are prioritizing the hardest-hit areas. Once fire agencies release areas for restoration, damage assessment crews inspect areas and remove safety hazards. Vegetation management teams clear debris to support line crews in restoration efforts. As repairs are completed, power is first restored to essential services, and then to as many customers as is safely possible. Dangerous conditions may impact our progress, and it may take several days for SCE to restore power. Customers should be prepared for extended and potentially intermittent outages throughout these extreme conditions.

PREPARATION FOR ANOTHER WEATHER EVENT

A new wave of strong Santa Ana winds has arrived and is expected to peak Tuesday, with conditions lasting into Wednesday. Customers may experience outages due to Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) or damage caused by wind, fire or other circumstances.

Safety is our number one priority as we prepare for potential outages. To learn more about PSPS and how to prepare for possible power outages, click here. We remain focused on safely restoring power to customers as quickly as possible and will continue working day and night to make this happen.

SAFETY TIPS DURING POWER RESTORATION

As SCE crews work to restore power, please remember these safety tips:

  • Authorized SCE employees will be in apparel with an SCE logo.
  • Contractors and those assisting with mutual aid may be accompanied by an SCE employee.
  • SCE employees on company business are required to carry an SCE photo ID badge. Always ask to see their badge/identification.
  • SCE employees will never ask for payments during home visits.
  • To verify the authenticity of anyone claiming to be a representative of SCE, ask for identification or call us at (800) 655-4555 and press “8 for Spanish-language customer service.

UPDATE
Jan. 11, 2025
Update: Severe Weather and Power Restoration Update

Dear Customer,

Although the fires continue burning to devastating effect in Southern California, we are turning our focus to accelerating power restoration wherever it is safe to do so. Our hearts and thoughts are with everyone impacted by the recent events, and we remain grateful to the thousands of firefighters, other public safety officials and SCE colleagues working to assure public safety.

OUTAGE STATUS

Yesterday, we were given access by first responders to certain wildfire areas which enabled us to make great progress on damage assessments and restoration efforts. As a result, 45,450 customers currently are without power, down from 172,000 yesterday, and we have restored power to over 500,000 customers since the start of this wind event.

While our progress is encouraging, we recognize the hardships faced by displaced community members and customers without power.

RESTORATION PROCESS

As our community continues to face this significant wind and wildfire event, I want to share our restoration process.

Step 1: Damage Assessment – Comprehensive assessments are taking place as conditions allow. Yesterday, we assessed 85% of circuits outside of burn areas where it was safe to do so. Identifying the extent of sustained damage informs our repair and restoration priorities.

Step 2: Repair – After the assessments, repairs are prioritized based on conditions. The time needed to restore service varies, depending on the extent of the repair work required.

Step 3: Restore – Once repairs are completed, power is restored to essential services and facilities, and then to as many customers as safely as possible.

PREPARATION FOR ANOTHER WEATHER EVENT

Additional Santa Ana winds are in the forecast for later this weekend and early next week. Some customers may be de-energized, either from a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS), strong winds, wildfires or other conditions. We remain committed to safely restoring power to customers as quickly as possible and will continue working day and night to make this happen. To learn more about PSPS and how to prepare for possible power outages, please visit our Public Safety Power Shutoff page.

For the latest outage updates, including your outage status, please visit our Outage Look Up Tool. You can also report outages at 1-800-611-1911 or online.

UPDATE
Jan. 10, 2025
Urgent: Severe Weather and Power Restoration Update

Dear Customer,

We are fully aware that many customers are going on day four without power, prolonging a significant hardship. The ongoing severe weather and active wildfires continue to cause many challenges to our restoration efforts.

As of this afternoon, 172,000 customers are without power, and we have restored service to over 400,000 customers since the start of the wind event. We have made great progress on assessing the damage from this significant windstorm – the most impactful in more than a decade as shown by the photos below – and aim to complete 80% of damage assessments outside of burn areas where it is safe to do so by the end of today.

We have thousands of SCE, contract and mutual assistance personnel actively working together in our communities to repair damage and prioritize the hardest-hit areas. These efforts are taking place simultaneously with preparations underway for another significant wind event expected early next week. The scale of this week’s event, coupled with the anticipated size of the incoming high winds, will affect our ability to restore power as quickly as we would like.

In some areas, customers without power due to a Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) may see their neighbors down the street with service. While those customers may not reside in a high fire risk area (HFRA), they may be fed by a circuit that goes through a HFRA and has been de-energized. Other PSPS customers may be without power because the circuit that serves them goes through a burn area where we have not yet been given access to enter to assess damage and initiate repairs.

Due to the severity of the wind events and dangerous fuel conditions following a dry winter, our preventive scope for possible de-energization has expanded and includes customers that historically have not experienced a PSPS. We can safely restore service to customers de-energized by PSPS only after the winds subside and once field crews inspect the line.

Regardless of why you are experiencing an outage, we remain committed to safely restoring power to our customers as quickly as possible. We are working day and night to make this happen.

For the latest outage updates, please visit the Outage Map. You can also report outages at 1-800-611-1911 or online.

UPDATE
Jan. 9, 2025
Important Update: Extreme Weather Event

Dear Customer,

We understand the ongoing severe weather, wildfires and power outages continue to cause significant challenges. While it is promising to see the progress made on the major fires, it is heartbreaking to see the devastation. We remain immensely grateful to the firefighters, other public safety officials and SCE colleagues working to keep us safe.

We know that some customers have been without power for days, and we recognize how difficult and frustrating this is, especially when neighboring areas still have power.

We are working as expeditiously as possible to safely restore service. In the coming days, we will have a better sense of timing on the restoration of customers impacted by wildfires and wind damage. As with all major restoration efforts, we prioritize critical medical facilities, first responders and other essential services.

VIDEO: A message from our CEO

As of this morning, 327,654 customers are without power. We have restored service to approximately 100,000 customers since the start of the wind event.

We have thousands of field resources working tirelessly to restore power and have requested mutual assistance crews from other outside utilities/contractors; they are arriving tomorrow.

In the hardest-hit areas, some of the challenges we are working through include:

  • Limited access to active wildfire areas to assess scope of damage to equipment

  • Air quality and high winds that continue to ground drones and aircraft that aid damage assessments

Additional Santa Ana winds are in the forecast this weekend and early next week. Unfortunately, some customers who have service restored may experience additional power shutoffs, due to the unpredictable nature of wildfire and wind conditions. For others, outages may extend into next week as the winds persist.

For the latest updates, please visit our Major Events page on sce.com. You can also report outages at 1-800-611-1911 or online.

UPDATE
Jan. 9, 2025
Urgent: Severe Weather and Power Restoration Update

Dear Customer,

Ongoing severe weather continues to significantly impact our communities. We are saddened to witness the devastation, and our hearts go out to all those affected. We are immensely grateful to the firefighters, other public safety officials and SCE colleagues working to keep us safe.

We recognize the hardship that loss of power creates. Due to the dangerous conditions, it will take longer than usual for SCE to restore power, and customers should be prepared for extended and potentially intermittent outages. Many outages from this week’s extreme weather could extend through the weekend and into early next week. For equipment that is damaged by fire or where access is restricted, restoration times could be substantially longer. Ongoing fire and wind conditions may result in some customers whose power is restored to experience a subsequent power shutoff.

We have thousands of field resources ready to restore service as soon as weather conditions allow. The company will be supported by other utilities through our industry’s mutual assistance program.

Customers whose power has not been impacted during the current wildfires and windstorm are advised to prepare in case weather conditions change unexpectedly.

Please visit SCE.com for updated information about outages. Customers may report outages at 1-800-611-1911 and online.

The loss of lives and devastation is heartbreaking to witness. Please be safe, take care of your family and check in on your neighbors.

UPDATE
Jan. 8, 2025
Important Update: Weather-Related Power Outages

Dear Valued Customer,

As we face the current windstorm, your safety remains our top priority.

We are currently experiencing a significant number of weather-related power outages and Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) throughout our service area due to strong winds and wildfire-weather conditions. To prioritize the safety of our crews and your community, we will restore power once the winds have settled, and our power lines are safely inspected.

Here are important reminders and resources to help you stay safe and informed:

SAFETY REMINDERS:

  • Stay Away from Downed Power Lines: If you encounter a downed power line, stay far away and call 9-1-1 immediately. Then, report it to SCE’s emergency line at 1-800-611-1911.
  • Secure Outdoor Items: Bring in or secure any outdoor furniture, decorations, or other items that could become projectiles.
  • Emergency Kit: Ensure you have essentials like water, non-perishable food, flashlights, batteries, and a first aid kit readily available.

STAY INFORMED:

  • Get Outage Alerts: Receive outage alerts by email, text, or voice call. You can also sign up for PSPS alerts for a different address other than your account address. Sign up for outage alerts.
  • Review and Update your Contact Information: Log in to your online account to confirm your outage notification and alert preferences are correct for email, text, and/or voice calls.

WHAT TO DO IF YOUR POWER IS OUT:

  • Outage Map: If your power goes out, you can find or report this information on our outage map. It also shows the areas that are shut off or under consideration for PSPS.
  • Community Resource: If you need additional support during an outage, please call 2-1-1 for assistance.
  • Outage Safety Tips: Review our safety tips for what to do during an extended power outage.
We are committed to helping you stay safe and informed.
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Safety Tips FOR EXTENDED POWER OUTAGES

  • Watch for downed wires — Severe weather can cause power lines to fall. They can electrify puddles, wet grass and the surrounding area. Never approach a downed wire or anyone or anything in contact with it. Stay away and call 911 immediately.  

  • Prepare an emergency kit with essentials — Pack water, food, medications, first-aid supplies and other essentials, including emergency contacts, a battery-powered radio and cash.  

  • Sign up for outage alerts — Make sure that you stay up to date about power outages by signing up for alerts now at sce.com/outagealerts.

  • Review and Update your Contact Information: Log in to your online account to confirm your outage notification and alert preferences are correct for email, text, and/or voice calls.

  • Watch traffic signals — Watch for traffic signals that may be out and approach those intersections as four-way stops.   

  • Use your cellphone as a Wi-Fi hotspot — Find out if your cellphone can be used as a hotspot to connect to the internet. If so, you can connect your laptop or tablet to the Wi-Fi hotspot on your phone, a process called tethering. Keep in mind that when your phone is being used as a hotspot, it is sharing your monthly data allotment with other devices.  


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